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These are maintenance recommendations supplied by product manufacturers...
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Basic Care (See Stain
Removal guide below)
Ceramic Tile is one product in your home that requires very little
care; it is one of the easiest surfaces to keep clean. Most dirt will not even adhere to tile.
Ceramic
tile
provides a unique
combination of beauty and durability. Its hard,
non-porous surface is a natural low-maintenance
finish. Once properly installed, depending on the
type of tile, it essentially requires little more
than dusting and occasional damp mopping.
Generally, tile has to be
washed less frequently than other surfaces that
receive similar amounts of traffic or soiling. Even
when glazed ceramic tile has been neglected for a
long period of time, a thorough washing will
generally bring back its shine. And you never need
to wax or polish it.
NOTE: Standing water or other liquids can deteriorate tile and grout, and should always be removed.
Regular Cleaning
|
Glazed Tile |
|
| Walls/Countertops |
Wipe with a clean, damp cloth or sponge. For stubborn soil use either a window cleaning agent or an all-purpose liquid cleaner. |
| Floors |
Mop on a mild solution of soap-less detergent
in water. Rinse thoroughly |
|
Unglazed Tile |
|
| Walls/Countertops |
Wipe with a clean, damp cloth or sponge. Use a diluted solution of
soap-less detergent for stubborn dirt. |
| Floors |
Mop on a mild solution of soap-less detergent in water. Rinse thoroughly. |
In Wet Areas
|
Glazed Tile |
|
| Walls/Countertops |
Use all-purpose cleaner on a soft cloth or sponge; wet down
and allow to stand for 5 minutes; rinse well. |
| Floors |
Use a soft cloth or sponge with an all-purpose cleaner or medium-strong solution of
soap-less detergent. (if danger of fungal growth/athlete's foot is present, use bleach). Rinse well. |
|
Unglazed Tile |
|
| Walls/Countertops |
Use a sponge with a strong solution of all- purpose cleaner; wet down; allow to stand for 5 minutes; rinse well. |
| Floors |
Scrub with an all-purpose cleaner or medium
solution of soap-less detergent. (If danger of fungal growth/athlete's foot is present use bleach). Rinse well. |
Silicone Caulk
In areas where vinyl or ceramic tile joins tub or shower, silicone or other caulking can become loose; subject to shrinkage, or settling. Areas subjected to water must be regularly checked and caulking re- applied as necessary. Failure to do this can cause extensive damage to wood
sub-floors.
Stains Removal guide
|
To Remove |
Use |
| Grease, oil, fats |
Solution of soda and water
(or Club Soda) |
| Organic or inorganic dyes |
Chlorine bleach - right away |
| Fingernail polish |
Dissolve with polish remover. If stain remains,
apply liquid household bleach. Rinse, then dry |
| Inks and colored dyes |
Apply household bleach, let stand until stain
disappears keeping the surface wet continuously.
Rinse, then dry |
| Iodine |
Scrub with ammonia. Rinse, then dry |
| Mercurochrome |
Chlorine bleach |
| Blood |
Hydrogen peroxide, chlorine bleach, or a chlorinated (bleaching) scouring powder |
| Mildew |
Use Tilex cleaner or ammonia on tile. Scrub
grout with scouring powder. Wash with bleach if
needed. Rinse, then dry |
| Water stains, soap buildup |
Ammonia, cleaner, and vinegar |
| Chewing gum, wax, tar |
Use a wood blade (tongue depressor or similar
implement) to scrape away bulk of material. Chill
material first with ice cube to reduce smears and
spreading. Remove remaining light residue with
non-flammable paint stripper following precautions
on label. Rinse, then dry |
| Coffee, tea , food colors, fruit juices, bleach,
lipstick |
Soap-less detergent solution, or all-purpose household cleaning liquid, then chlorine
bleach |
| Hard Water Stains |
Commercial tile cleaners such
as Tile It are available at supermarkets, or use a solution
of white vinegar and water, mixed in equal amounts. Test
this method in a small area first to be sure the vinegar
does not etch your tile or erode the grout. Vinegar can
damage some tile glazes. |
| Caution: Ammonia and household bleaches
should not be mixed together.
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Sealing
The grout used to secure your tile may not be specially treated. If you find stains to be a problem, we recommend a clear liquid silicone be applied. Follow stain removal instructions (above) prior to application of sealers. Due to the curing time required for grout, this sealing procedure should be done 30 days or more after installation.
Scratching
Most tile used on countertops and vanities are glazed
matte gloss and resist scratching. If yours is a high gloss finish, scratching is a possibility.
Grout
Normal settling will cause some cracking of the grout, particularly in corners and edges. This condition should be taken care of promptly.
Your tile supplier can provide a siliconized acrylic caulking to repair initial cracks and to insure proper maintenance of the
grout. Efflorescence (whitening of the grout) is caused by soluble salts settling in gray cement-based materials, or from grouting materials floating to the top. Clean with a grout and tile cleaner and
rinse well for several days after cleaning.
Crazing
Crazing is the effect of fine surface lines appearing on glazed tile. It is caused by aging, heating, and cooling. Since tile is a natural product and reacts to its environment, this is considered a natural process.
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